Contents

The Mercado was famous for being an elegant and iconic Midtown hotel but it also had one of the weirdest histories of all buildings in Manhattan. All kinds of massacres took place at the site of where the Mercado would be eventually built.[2] During a peaceful trade between the Lenape Indians and Captain Warren, everyone suddenly died.[3] The location was the intersection of two Ley Lines in New York and thus a powerful supernatural locus. In the modern era, it was infamous for having the most power outages and disproportionate number of traffic accidents on the streets bordering the building, especially on 49th Street. Rowan North got a job as a maintenance man for the Mercado and lived in the boiler room. He was left alone to his own devices in the boiler room and he was able to construct Ghost Portal Mirrors to communicate with vengeful ghosts and a Barrier Compromising Master Machine after he determined Ley Lines converged at the Mercado. He planned to pierce the barrier to World of the Dead.

After he planted a Hyper-Ionization Device in the Seward Street Subway Station, Rowan returned to the Mercado for his shift. He went over his check list of places to visit and turned a corner in a hallway on the second floor by Room 2208. He went back to the boiler room in the basement and talked to his reflection in a full length mirror. He reminded himself he was bullied his entire life and he was going to become the bully. He assured himself to trust in his abilities, and the universe would bend before his will. An co-worker hailed him from a walkie talkie and informed him of a biblically badly clogged toilet in 1843. Rowan confirmed he heard him and replied nothing would make him happier. The co-worker was not amused and told him to just do it. Rowan repeated to himself the universe would bend before his will. He repeated his mission to charge the lines, create the vortex, and break the barrier. A green hand thudded against one of the mirrors from the inside.

Rowan turned the hall near 2208. Mrs. Potter opened her door and got his attention. Rowan recognized her as Mrs. Potter and asked how he could help her. She turned to the green Ectoplasm dripping down her doorway's frame and wanted to know what it was. Rowan pretended to inspect it. He lied and told her it was nothing more than some leakage from the hotel's air conditioning. She told him it touched her skin and it gave her a rash. She asked him if it looked right. She turned her back to him. Earl, a magenta colored entity, peered out from her back. Rowan confessed he saw some redness. She asked if it was very bad. Rowan told her it wasn't and assured her whoever was responsible for the leak would be flogged within an inch of their life and then left on the street to die like a pig. Mrs. Potter was taken aback and denied she asked for that. Rowan rescinded the promise and promised to send up some cream. He returned to the boiler room. The ghosts in the mirrors groaned. Rowan stated he knew everyone was anxious, but he stressed patience then he asked who thought it would be funny to put Earl in the old lady's back. He expressed concern about the guests' increasing complaints. He didn't want to give away any spoilers before the "big show." Rowan left the room.

Erin eventually discovered the Mercado was at the intersection point of two Ley Lines. She marked off the locations of the Aldridge Mansion Museum, Seward Street Subway Station, Stonebrook, and other ghost sightings on a map of New York City then drew straight lines connecting her "x" marks and formed a big "X" in Midtown. Holtzmann consulted a copy of "Ley Lines: of North America" while Abby and Erin explained Ley Lines to Patty. Holtzmann smoothed a page of New York City and placed the map half on the book then slid it forward. She implored them to dismiss it then patted the book. The two maps, the one Erin marked and the one in the book were identical. Abby admitted that it looked like it had some merit. Erin realized Rowan was using the devices to charge the Ley lines and create a vortex. Abby pointed out if he got one of his machines in the intersection point and it was big enough, he would be able to rip a hole right through the barrier. Abby walked away to report their discovery to Agent Hawkins and Agent Rorke. Erin wondered what was at the intersection between 7th and 8th. She grabbed the laptop and typed. Holtzmann read aloud, it was the Mercado Hotel. Erin incorrectly remarked "Mercado" was Spanish for "table." Patty recognized the name because it had one of the weirdest histories of the buildings in New York. Holtzmann thought she meant it was a standard-issue haunted building. Patty explained its history extended before there was a building. All sorts of bizarre massacres happened at that spot, like the sudden deaths of the Lenape Indians and Captain Warren. Patty stopped and recognized Rowan in the employee photo. Erin remarked it was always the sad, pale ones. Abby rallied everyone to gear up for the Mercado.

Holtzmann parked Ecto-1 in front of the Mercado Hotel's entrance. The Ghostbusters entered the lobby of the Mercado and walked across the floor to the reception desk. Vanessa The Desk Clerk was on the phone with her back to the Ghostbusters. She asked the caller if they tried adjusting the thermostat before placing the call. She apologized there was a draft in their room. The desk clerk turned to them. She placed the caller on hold while she connected to someone who might care. Erin greeted her. She told Erin to hold on, placed the phone on her right shoulder, and asked that they wanted. Abby asked where the janitor was. The desk clerk knew who they were talking about and was about to ask what he did but rescinded her question and told them to take the stairs down and get him out. The Ghostbusters took stairs down to the boiler room. They grabbed their throwers. The doors to the boiler room were closed shut. Streaks of light were glimpsed at the bottom of the doorway. They powered up their throwers and headed inside. The Barrier Compromising Master Machine was in the center of the room and activated. Mirrors were strewn about the room. Ghosts had their palms up against the glass from the other side. They growled at the Ghostbusters.

Abby spotted Rowan in a corner and ordered him to stop and shut it down. Rowan, from a crouching position, turned to them and stood. He walked out a little towards them with his hands behind his back. Abby thought it was great he found himself a little hobby and on paper, flooding New York City with ghosts seemed like a great idea, but they liked the world the way it was. Rowan assumed they must have been afforded the basic dignity and respect of a human being, which he had been denied. Abby didn't think so and noted people dumped on them pretty much all the time. Rowan stated he was a genius who could see things that no one else did and his reward for it was scorn and mockery. He was comforted by the fact that he was not the only one seeking revenge. He revealed there were millions of soul behind those mirrors cast aside who saw the world as it truly was, as garbage and it was garbage that needed to be cleaned up. He added they were mostly dudes then continued with explaining how after the barriers were destroyed, an army of the undead would return to pester the living. Erin didn't think "pester" sounded so bad. Rowan clarified they would pester the living with unspeakable pain and torment, children would be pestered limb from limb in front of their own parents, the parents would be pestered in half and pestered in half again then pestered into the ground until their bloody, pulpy bodies were nothing but meat. Erin admitted that was a different definition than what she was thinking. Holtzmann offered up the word "apocalypse."

Rowan was ready to destroy the barriers. Abby yelled at him to stop. She tried to show she understood people could be terrible but tried to appeal to him listing the terrific things in the world but she could only think of soup. She asked Patty. Patty shot back there was salad. Rowan turned back to the master machine. Abby yelled at him to stop and informed him the police were already on their way and he was going to jail. Rowan told them goodbye then grabbed hold of two pylons and electrocuted himself to death then his body dropped to the floor face first. Holtzmann commented that was a weird move. Patty was sure he was dead. Abby asked Holtzmann to shut the machine down. Holtzmann jogged over to where they found Rowan. Abby and Erin pressed her to hurry. The electricity powered down. The ghosts vanished from the mirrors. Erin asked if they were good. Holtzmann believed so, except for Rowan. Erin was relieved it was over. Abby yelled out into the corridor for the police. Holtzmann admitted it was never good to see the smart ones go bad. Patty remarked it smelled like burned bologna and regrets.

The police set up yellow tape and taking statements. Patty gave hers. She described Rowan as an employee of the hotel dressed in a Captain Kirk-type outfit. Erin asked Abby what was bothering her. Abby had a feeling his technology was not that different from their technology and used the same science. Erin agreed it was strange. Holtzmann walked over to them and presented a copy of Ghosts from Our Past. They were mortified. Abby was oddly pleased she was right about how there would be people out there that loved their work. Erin wondered why she was so flattered that that weird little sociopath bought their book. Jennifer Lynch arrived and thanked the Ghostbusters. She added Mayor Bradley thanked them, too, but privately and asked them not to tell anyone. She asked if she could walk them out. Back up in the lobby, Lynch suggested they get some rest then revealed Agent Hawkins and Rorke. Abby thanked her. Hawkins and Rorke thanked the Ghostbusters, too. Lynch revealed they were going to stage a fake arrest but Ecto-1 was towed for real. She walked over to the crowd of reporters before they could process what she said. Hawkins grabbed Erin's arm. Rorke grabbed Abby's arm. They placed their arms behind their backs and walked them to the door. Hawkins told Abby to stop resisting. She insisted she wasn't. A reported asked Lynch if New York was in trouble. Lynch assured them everything was fine and it was all just another publicity stunt by the Ghostbusters. Erin turned and glared at Lynch. She called them incredibly sad and lonely women then joked they read "Eat, Pray, Love" and just ran with it. Two police officers exited the boiler room and turned the light off. The P.K.E. Meter, left behind, suddenly activated and fell to the ground.

Rowan manifested as a ghost, possessed Kevin Beckman, and returned to the Mercado. Rowan walked down stairs to the boiler room. Two police officers were stationed at the doors to the room. One of them, named Tyson, told the other about his plan to wear a new shirt every day then throw them out and start over every month because he found a deal of 50 cents a T-shirt. He noticed Kevin and told him to stop. He joked nobody ordered a Clark Kent strippergram. Rowan processed and realized he joked because of the glasses and the handsomeness then laughed. Officer Tyson laughed, too. Rowan punched Tyson out then grabbed the other by throat, lifted him up in the air, and dropped him to the ground. Rowan realized he should have worked out more when he was alive. He kicked the doors open then tore down the caution tape and picked up parts. He was more convinced he should have worked out more. Rowan reconnected the parts to his machinery then reactivated the Barrier Compromising Master Machine as he hummed. The machine re-activated and electricity cackled. Ghosts reappeared in the Ghost Mirror Portals. He smiled and hummed. The mirrors shattered and the ghosts flew out. A green vortex formed around the master machine then a bigger vortex appeared right above the Mercado Hotel's roof. Ghost Invasion Specters flew out out the Portal and Ley Lines.

Police, National Guard, and Homeland Security converged on the Mercado and set up a perimeter outside. Rowan/Kevin descended on the hotel marquee outside the Mercado. Agent Rorke wondered who the flying beefcake was. Rowan greeted them and wanted to see them dance. The Bee Gees' "You Should Be Dancing" played. Rorke told Hawkins to use their Government Proton Gun Vehicle. Hawkins realized it wasn't working. Rowan started dancing. The agents, soldiers, and police were forced to mimic his moves. Rowan thought it was going to be fun. He spotted the Ghostbusters running past the NYPD station. The police, soldiers, and agents were immobilized. Rowan clicked his tongue and remarked women were always late. He guessed they couldn't decide which dirty jumpsuit to wear. He decided to provide a proper New York welcome. He unleashed blue P.K.E. from his hands then welcomed them to the glory days of New York City. He told them to have fun and laughed. The surrounding area transformed into New York City as it looked like in the past then a Ring Leader Ghost marched to the Mercadeo and directed the Times Square Battle Ghosts to attack the Ghostbusters. The Ghostbusters utilized their packs and sidearms to defeat the ghosts and the P.K.E. fog receded to allow them to pass and enter the Mercado.

The Ghostbusters stepped into the lobby of the Mercado Hotel. The portal was in the center of the lobby. Erin slipped on some Ectoplasm on the floor. She was sure the slime had a personal grudge against her. Abby pointed out the obvious, the Barrier Compromising Machine was up and running again. A tune played in a slow tone then a piano glided by, missed them, and crashed into a pillar. Rowan cursed for missing them. Abby exclaimed Kevin's name. Rowan was surprised Kevin was his name and thought it would have been "Chet" or something more Australian. He admitted he was enjoying the body and for the first time in his life he don't have to suck it in. He noticed there were five of them now. Erin was confused. She saw that there was a middle aged man in a bath robe standing next to them. She asked him who he was. He introduced himself as "Frank" and explained he just came down to get some ice. Abby told him to get out of the hotel. Frank ran outside and screamed. Patty suggested they should have warned him about what was outside. Rowan invited them to take a seat. Chairs glided to them. Holtzmann took him up on the offer. The chair was yanked away and she fell on her butt. Rowan laughed. Holtzmann admitted she appreciated the joke because it was a classic. The chairs glided away to Abby's left. Abby told Rowan it was time for him hop out out of Kevin's body. She admitted they liked him, despite his many, many frustrating quirks. Holtzmann added he just started figuring out the phones. Rowan levitated and asked if it was a little too Peter Pan. He decided to embrace it then realized Kevin was making him feel stupider by the second. He exited Kevin's body, and Kevin fell down to the lobby. Abby and Erin "broke" his fall and wound up on their backs.

Abby ordered nobody to let Rowan get away. They traded insults with Rowan as they blasted at him. Patty shot the hotel. Holtzmann reckoned she broke it. Abby wanted to switch gears and take Kevin to safety. He was still unconscious so Erin and Abby had a hard time dragging him out. Abby ordered Rowan to show himself. Rowan asked her what form she preferred he take. Patty took the lead and wanted something nice and cute, like a friendly little ghost. Rowan appeared as the Ghostbusters' logo and asked them if it's what she wanted. The No sign morphed into a tiny red bow tie and landed onto Rowan. Kevin mumbled about ice cream. Patty had no issues and thanked him for being reasonable. Rowan admitted if worked for him. Rowan's form became sinister and started expanding in size. Patty stipulated she wanted "cute." They became very concerned. Rowan grinned and raised his left arm then makes a shoving motion with both arms. They were sent flying outside by a flood of green energy and the shock wave knocked the police, agents, and soldiers on their backs. The windows shattered floor by floor. Abby yelled at everyone to run. Rowan busted out of the hotel. He saw them and marched after them. They eventually reversed the polarity of the portal, pulling all ghosts back through it but Rowan took Abby with him. Erin jumped into the portal to rescued her. Abby and Erin emerged just as the portal closed and they burst through the doors. The Mercado Hotel and the city was back to normal.

The hotel's website advertised a 25% savings special offer on the left side of the page. On the right side of the page, "The Mercado Luxury Hotel New York, New York" was superimposed in front of the front desk. A headline read, "The Boutique Mercado Hotel in New York City" and the text, read "The Mercado Hotel's spectacular setting lends itself to one of the richest and most memorable travel experiences. Located in the heart of Manhattan's Times Square, you will be in walking distance to the theatre district, Rockefeller Center and Broadway. Enjoy New York's best nightlife and world class shopping only steps away on Madison and Fifth. The Mercado prides itself in being part of the ultimate urban mix of people, grand world architecture, nationally held festivals, and all else that encompasses Times Square." The second paragraph started, "When staying at the Mercado Hotel, you are treated as royalty, without a care in the world. The most attentive and friendly staff in New York will luxuriously pamper you. Witness the historically preserved hotel and join the hundreds of thousands who have experienced the comfort that is the Mercado. Feel alive again and--"

On the left of the page there was a group photo of eight employees in two rows of four posing on some steps. On the right was a description of the Rivera Ballroom. It read, "The spacious Art Deco Rivera Ballr--dance the night away in the new--holidays are available throughout t--The Rivera Ballroom is New York's--ing. Whether a returning guest or r--team of professional dance teach--put you at ease, marking sure that y-is exceptional." Second paragraph reads, "For decades, the ballroom has host--est events. Now, it brings back an--the stage for a grand night in! T--"

The front doors of the Mercado have an address of 1525 Broadway placing it between West 46th and West 47th on Seventh Avenue, two blocks North of One Astor Plaza, and replacing a cluster of small buildings East of Hotel W.

When Erin draws the Ley line intersection, she asks what is at the intersection between 7th and 8th then learns it's the Mercado.[4]

The Mercado is shown have "replaced" the Paramount Building at 1501 Broadway in this continuity as the vortex is generated.

An overhead shot of the hotel when it is ravaged near the end of the movie, confirms it is a stand-in for the Paramount Building at 1501 Broadway in this continuity.

Most filming for the Mercado Hotel was done on a sound stage.

On September 8, 2015, it was reported in June 2015 that land was leased to Columbia and as early as July 27, a crew built a set on a runway left over from SouthField's previous life as the South Weymouth Naval Air Station. An old 32,000-square-foot aircraft hangar was also used. It was used for a green-screen stage and special effects photography during Boston filming, including Mercade scenes.[5]

On September 5, 2016, Annis Naeem posted a pre-production sketch of a scene, when the Ghostbusters face off against the villain, and a finished painting of the face off scene from March 26, 2015.[6][7]

The Mercado lobby was featured in the movie's first press photo, released on December 16, 2015.[8]

In Chapter 5, there is a brief two second shot of Rowan's degrees and accolades.

He won The American Physical Society's J.J. Sakurai Prize on April 6, 2000 for his "work on M-Theory, its connection to eleven dimensional super gravity at low energies and the compactifying of its extradimensions."

Rowan won The Hughes Medal on November 29, 2013 for "pioneering development of inkjet printing processes for organic semiconductor devices and dramatic improvement of their functioning and efficiency."

There is a Bachelors of Science in Physics from Stanford University (also known as The Leland Stanford Junior University) and a Doctor of Science in Physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) dated June 6, 2007.

MIT consultant Janet Conrad wrote string theory paper on Feynman ghost diagrams for Rowan North. It was also a bit of a jab at disciplines - one protagonist is a neutrino theorist and the antagonists is a string theorist. It can be seen posted up above his desk phone.[9]

In Chapter 8, it is shown that Mrs. Potter lives on the second floor between room 2202 and room 2208.

Patty likens the Mercado's uniforms to Starfleet ones from the Star Trek franchise.[10]

When the ghosts breach the mirrors, the glass shattering was practical effects during filming then CG warping, reflective bows, and CG smashed glass were added by the Iloura team.[11]

A bar nearby the Mercado Hotel advertises, "Serving Irish beer since 1984" - the same year first movie released in theaters.

The up shot of the Vortex above the Mercado appears to be a nod to a similar upshot to the |Shandor building in the first movie.

As in the two movies and Ghostbusters: The Video Game, the weather is affected and the city is blanketed in darkness.

The vortex above the Mercado is inspired by "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and the 1984 version of "Ghostbusters."[12]

In the shot of Erin looking towards the Mercado as ghosts inundate the city, she was looking down Milk Street in Boston, while standing at the intersection of Oliver Street and Kilby Street during filming.

When the Ghostbusters enter the Mercado, Rowan tries to throw a piano at them. It plays the variation of the Ghostbusters theme first heard in the first trailer for the movie.

Rick Moranis' cameo would have been as a resident of the Mercado. When the Ghostbusters entered the hotel and confronted possessed Kevin, the resident, in his pajamas and robe, would have wandered down and stood next to them totally unaware of what was going on. Rowan would have then sarcastically pointed out there was a fifth Ghostbuster now. The Ghostbusters then told him to leave.[13]

On page 20 of Ghostbusters 101 #1, to the right of the flier is the photographs of the Rivera Ballroom and staff of the Mercado Hotel from the company website seen in the 2016 movie when Patty identified Rowan in chapter 12.

↑Patty Tolan (2016). Ghostbusters (2016 Movie) Extended Edition; Chapter 12 (2016) (Blu-Ray ts. 1:20:31-1:20:40). Sony Pictures. Patty Tolan says: "This is even before it was a building. All sorts of massacres happened at that spot. Like the peaceful trade between the Lenape Indians and Captain Warren. Then, all of a sudden, everybody dies."

↑Wired "The MIT Physicists Who Infused Ghostbusters With Real Science" 7/11/16Line reads: "With Winslow now on parental leave, the production asked Conrad to create physics papers and grant applications to use as props on the character’s desks—something she did in almost absurd detail. Wiig’s character got a paper on neutrinos, formatted in the style of real-world journal Physical Review Letters. (There’s an even deeper homage as well: on the paper, Gilbert’s coauthor is one G.F. Siegal—the name of Lindley Winslow’s new baby.) Meanwhile, an antagonist named Rowan North got a string theory paper on Feynman ghost diagrams, which offered the opportunity for a little interdisciplinary ribbing. “Of course we made the woman a neutrino theorist and the bad guy a string theorist,” Conrad says."

↑fxguide "Who you gonna call? Call Illoura, MPC, SPI, & Zero VFX" 8/10/16Line reads: "As the ghouls eventually smash through the mirrors and take on vaporous ethereal forms, CG warping and reflective bows were added to the mirror surfaces as well as practical and CG smashed glass to support the physicality of the event. This kind of seamless transition was key in this film as ghosts and ghouls frequently metamorphose from one form to another."

↑fxguide "Who you gonna call? Call Illoura, MPC, SPI, & Zero VFX" 8/10/16Line reads: "From the start of the project the director, Paul Feig, was interested in having the ghost cloud that forms above the Mercado Hotel looking similar to classic cloud tank effects. We spent a great deal of time looking at classic films such as Close Encouters of the Third Kind and the 1984 version of Ghostbusters. In the end we used Flowline to generate a highly customized vortex motion and did the final volumetric render in Renderman."

↑EMPIRE Online "Empire Podcast: Ghostbusters Spoiler Special with Paul Feig" 20:57-21:26 7/27/16Paul Feig says: "We had one for Rick Moranis but he just didn't -- he wasn't interested in doing it which we ended up cutting out and I feel bad because Brian Baumgartner -- if you know American 'Office' he played Kevin on the American 'Office.' He did it. It was a fun thing when they show up in the Mercado lobby and facing off against Kevin who's possessed by Rowan. He's, 'Oh, I see there's five of you now. 'Huh?' And the camera pans out, widens out to reveal this guy's standing there in his pajamas in a robe. And they're, 'Get out of here!' It was Brian but wrote it for Rick."

↑Interview with Andrew ShafferAndrew Shaffer says: "Due to a production error, the image was left out of the book. Future printings will have the reference to the image removed."